Coulter assembly



Aug. 23, 1960 P. STONER COULTER ASSEMBLY Filed March 1, 1956 INVENTOR.PA u 1. 5 TO H ER ATTO NEY United States Patent 6 COULTER ASSEMBLY PaulStoner, Rte. 2, Valparaiso, Ind. Filed Mar. 1, 19 56, Ser. No. 568,910

s Claims. or. Ina-16 6) The invention relates generally to farmequipment and more particularly is directed to coulters adapted forassociation with a plow for parting or dividing the soil in advance ofthe plow.

It is recognized that there are a multitude of various forms or types ofcoulters in use and that they are mounted or supported in difierentways. It is 'also known that some of the coulters are relatively heavyand cumbersome while others are of flimsy construction and do not standup when subjected to hard usage.

Moreover, the means employed for attaching or mounting coulters varyconsiderably. The means supporting some coulters are not readilyadjustable; some are intricate and difiicult to adjust; and others areunstable and fail to maintain the coulters at a proper angle'oroperating position after adjustment.

One of the major disadvantages or handicaps of the concavo-convex typeof disc coulter is the absence of efficient means for accurately settingthe angle of the blade. In many instances, an operator, particularly aninexperienced one, will adjust and set the blade at an improper angle sothat the blade serves more as a disc ple-w, in which event, the bladewill cause a side thrust or drag sufficient to defeat the real purposeof the coulter.

With the foregoing in mind, the primary object of the invention is toprovide a mounting or supporting assembly for a coulter which embodiesimproved principles of design and construction.

More particularly, an important object of the inven: tion is to providestructure having an elongated support for a blade whereby the blade isalways maintained or held at the appropriate angle so that the bladewill perform efficiently at all times. This positioning of the blade isof great importance and in part is preferably accomplished by anglingthe lower extremity of the support. In other words, the lower extremityof the suppont which carries the blade is permanently offset anddisposed to place the plane formed by the blade at an acute angle withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the supportf The,

ofiset serves the dual purpose of assisting to maintain the blade at theproper angle and in permit rotation of the blade,

Another significant object of the invention is to provide a supportingstructure which includes a clevice or generally tubular fitting foradjustably connecting the support to a post or hanger, which in turn, isadjustably connected to an overhead beam of a plow. More specifi'callyin this respect, the support is welded or otherwise permanently joinedto the fitting in a manner to locate the longitudinal axis of and theplane formed by the support in an inclined or angular position withrespect tothe longitudinal axis of the fitting. Otherwise expressed, thesupport extends angularly downwardly from the fitting with the plane ofthe support disposed at an angle with respect to a vertical plane.

The angularity between the support and fitting and the offset 0n thesupport, as described above, is compounded to permanently and accuratelymaintain the blade in a providing clearance to position which, afterexhaustive field tests, has proven most beneficial and efiicient inoperation in practically all known conditions of use. i

This compounding of the angularity between the com ponents of theassembly is consi'dered'to constitute a profound advance overconventional or known setups ofthe character above referred to,

An additional object of the invention is to provide a support of thekind described which is provided with adjustable fastening meansintermediate its extremities for connection with a curved arm having aninner offset depending end portion detachably connected to the fasteningmeans and an outer ofiset carrying a blade or'scraper which assists inturning the soil and'in keeping the blade clean, The fastening meansafiords an adjustment for locating and locking the scraper in a desiredposition with respect to the support.

Attention is directed to the important fact that the fastening means isdisposed on the one side of the support; that the arm includes agenerally horizontal portion overlying the support and the blade; aportion which is curved and angled with respect to the dependingportion; and that the outer offset portion, above referred to, isdisposed on the opposite side of the blade and forms with the curvedportion a generally U-shaped formation for straddling or receiving thedisc blade.

Other objects of the invention reside in providing an assemblycomprising components which can: be economically manufactured andassembled on a production basis and which offers advantages with respectto stability, durability, balance and efliic ient operation not presentin conventional assemblies.

A specific'object of the invention is to provide a unique fasteningmeans on the support whereby' the arm can be readily adjusted thereon tolocate the blade or scraper on the arm relative to the disc blade.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentafter the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunctionwith the annexed drawings and in which on exemplified.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational side view of a plow showing the coulterassembly embodying the invention applied thereto: 5

Figure 2 is a top view of a part of the structure in Figure 1, withportions in section to illustrate details of design and construction;

'Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational side view of the coulter assembly;

Figure 4 is an elevational end view of the structure shown in Figure 3with portions broken away to depict details of the construction;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through thesupport; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken through the post showing thefitting connected thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, numeral 1 generallydesignates a conventional plow provided with a share 2 and anoverhanging forwardly extending horizontal' beam 3 having connectionmeans 4 thereon for detachably connecting and adjustably supporting apost or hanger 5 which carries the coult'er assembly generallydesignated 6. The post includes an upper extfem'ity con nected' to theconnection means and an offset lower extremity to which the coulterassembly is attached as clearly shown in Figure 1. The post or hangeraffordsmeans whereby the coulter assembly may be adjusted with respectto the forward curved cutting edge of the plow share.

The coulter assembly may be designed and constructed support. 7,preferably rectangulan in CI'OSSeSQCtiQH, with a e embodiment ofthe-invention is clevice or generally tubular fitting 8 welded orotherwise permanently joined to the upper end of the support. Thefitting is preferably provided with longitudinally extending innergrooves 9 so as to facilitate relative rotational adjustment between'thesupport and post and obtain positive 4 whereby the arm can be readilyadjusted by merely manipulating the studs so that the blade 18 can belocated in a desired operative position with respect to the disc blade.In view of the foregoing, it will be manifest that the disc blade isaccurately and permanently fixed at a predetermined angle forefficiently performing its intended purpose and that the scraper orblade 18 is also secured or locked at an appropriate anglewith respectto the disc for rotatably supporting a blade 14, preferably of the con-I cavo-convex disc type, in a conventional manner.

As alluded to above, the longitudinal axis of the support and its planeare disposed at compound angles with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe fitting, or to express the arrangement in another way, the supportis inclined so that its longitudinal axis is disposed at an acute anglewith reference to the horizontal, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3, andits plane is inclined or angled with respect to the vertical as depictedin Figures 2, 4 and 5.

The lower offset end 12 of the support is disposed so that itslongitudinal axis and plane are respectively arranged at angles withrespect to the longitudinal axis and plane of the intermediate portion11. With this unique setup a compound angular relationship ispermanently maintained between the intermediate portion of the arm andfitting and a permanent compound angular relationship between theintermediate portion and the lower offset of the support in order toprovide a firm and well-balanced support for the blade or disc. It willbe noted that the shaft or axle 13 is disposed at right angles orperpendicular to the plane of the offset end 12 so it might be furtherstated that the axis of the shaft is disposed at an angle with respectto the longitudinal axis of the interme diate portion 11 of the supportand at an angle to the horizontal as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Asmentioned above, the offset end of the support also serves toprovideclearance for rotation of the blade. The blade is preferably mounted ona hub 15 which is suitably journalled on the shaft.

A fastening means generally designated 16 is provided on theintermediate portion 11 and opposite side of the support. The fasteningmeans adjustably supports an arm generally designated 17 and a scraperor blade 18 detachably carried thereby. This fastening means may bedesigned and constructed in various ways but as shown includes a pair ofstuds 19 threadedly connected to the support and extending laterallythereof, a bar or bridge 20 slidably mounted on the studs and providedwith a concave seat 21 having a projecting lug or key 22 therein. Thesupport is also provided with an elongated concave member 23,constituting a seat, preferably welded thereto between the studs incomplementary relation to the concave seat on the bridge 20, the seatscooperating to adjustably secure the arm to the support when the studsare tightened.

The arm 17, among other things, includes a depending or vertical endportion 24 disposed in parallel relation to the post and is providedwith a longitudinal slot which receives the key 22 to positively lockthe arm against movement with respect to the support. The arm 17 alsoincludes a horizontal portion 25 overlying the support and blade; acurved and angled portion 26 substantially conforming to the curvatureof the convex side of the blade; and an inturned angled end portion 27which carries the scraper or blade 18. The end portion 27 in combinationwith the curved portion 26 forms a generally U-shaped formation whichstraddles or receives the blade and so that a curved edge 28 on thescraper or blade 18 is disposed generally in conforming relationshipwith the concave side of the blade as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Attention is directed to the fact that the fastening means connectingthe arm to the support affords a unique setup blade to serve itspurpose.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made in the same without departing from the spiritof the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. An assembly of the kind described comprising an elongated support,means at one end of the support for attaching the support to a mounting,a disc rotatably mounted on the other end of the support at one sidethereof, fastening means carried by the opposite side of the support, anarm having one end secured to the fastening means and a portionextending chordally of the disc, the other end of the arm being formedto straddle a pcripheral portion of the disc, and a blade secured tosaid other end of the arm and located on that side of the disc facingaway from the chordally extending portion of said arm.

2. An assembly of the kind described comprising an elongated supportprovided with a fitting for attaching the assembly to a mounting, saidsupport including an angularly disposed depending portion and an offsetlower end portion, an axle secured to the offset portion in a positioninclined to the horizontal, a concave-convex disc rotatably mounted onthe axle and located at one side of the support, fastening means carriedby the other side of the support, an arm having a vertical portionsecured to the fastening means, said arm also having a portion extendingtransversely of the support and disc and overlying the same, said armfurther having a curved portion extending chordally across the disc andsubstantially conforming to its convex side and having an offset formingin combination with the curved portion a generally U-shaped formationstraddling the disc, and a blade carried by the offset, said blade beingprovided with a work edge substantially conforming to the concave sideof the disc for the purpose described.

3. An assembly of the kind described comprising a plow having a shareand an overhead beam, a coulter assembly, means suspending andconnecting the coulter assembly to the beam for adjustment with respectto the share, said coulter assembly including a one-piece support havinga depending inclined elongated portion and a lower portion, an axlecarried by the lower portion and rotatably supporting a disc in advanceof the share, said lower portion being offset and inclined to a greaterdegree than the incline of the elongated portion so that the plane ofthe disc will be tilted with respect to the vertical and form an acuteangle with the elongated portion of the support, and a curved armextending chordally across the disc and having an upper end secured tothe elongated portion of the support between the axle and connectingmeans and also having a lower generally U-shaped portion straddling aperipheral edge portion of the disc, and a blade carried by the U-shapedportion having a work edge operatively associated with the disc.

4. A coulter assembly comprising a vertical resiliently flexible tubularfitting and an inclined support, substantially rcctangular incross-section, secured to the fitting, said support comprising anelongated portion disposed in an inclined plane with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the fitting and a lower portion offset with respectto the elongated portion and disposed in a plane of greater inclinationthan the plane of the elongated portion, a shaft carried by the lowerportion, a disc rotatable on the shaft and disposed in a plane whichintersects the longitudinal axis of the elongated portion at a locationrearwardly of said elongated portion, fastening means carried by thesupport, an arm having an intermediate portion extending chordallyacross one side of the disc and a pair of ofiset ends disposed on theother side of the disc with one of the ends adjustably connected to thefastening means, and a blade carried by the other end of the arm foroperative association with the disc.

5. An assembly of the kind described comprising a 10 plow having a shareand an overhead beam, a coulter assembly, means suspending andconnecting the coulter assembly to the beam for adjustment with respectto the share, said coulter assembly including a one-piece support having91 depending inclined elongated portion and a lower portion, an axlecarried by the lower portion and rotatably supporting a disc in advanceof the share, said lower portion being offset and inclined to a greaterdegree than the incline of the elongated portion so that the plane ofthe disc will be tilted with respect to the vertical and form an acuteangle with the elongated portion of the support, an arm extendingchordally of the disc and having an 6 upper end secured to the elongatedportion of the support between the axle and connecting means and alsohaving a lower bent portion straddling a peripheral portion of the disc,and a blade carried by the bent portion having a work edge operativelyassociated with the disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS717,698 Miller Jan. 6, 1903 787,016 Wimer Apr. 11, 1905 837,491 NelsonDec. 4, 1906 1,097,299 Carlson May 19, 1914 1,104,569 Stephens July 21,1914 1,197,173 Baldwin Sept. 5, 1916 1,273,898 Melvin et a1. July 30,1918 1,281,339 Garst Oct. 15, 1918 1,298,209 Heylman Mar. 25, 19192,364,878 Storz Dec. 12, 1924 2,403,209 Boumphrey July 2, 1946 2,762,285Yetter Sept. 11, 1956

